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The definite article in non-specific object noun phrases : Comparing French and Italian

The definite article in non-specific object noun phrases : Comparing French and Italian

Type of Publication: Contribution to a collection
Publication status: Published
Author: Kupisch, Tanja; Koops, Christian
Year of publication: 2007
Published in: Nominal Determination : Typology, context constraints, and historical emergence / Stark, Elisabeth; Leiss, Elisabeth; Abraham, Werner (ed.). - Amsterdam : John Benjamins Pub., 2007. - pp. 189-213. - ISBN 978-90-272-9210-0
DOI (citable link): https://dx.doi.org/10.1075/slcs.89.11kup
Summary:
Italian allows for the use of the definite article in non-specific direct object NPs ( <i>mettersi la giacca </i>‘put on a jacket’, <i>avere il gatto </i>‘have a cat’). However, in French, the corresponding constructions typically take only the indefinite article ( <i>se mettre un blouson, avoir un chat </i>). We present a corpus analysis and a questionnaire study which both establish a striking contrast between French and Italian on this point. We argue that the more widespread use of the Italian definite article in this non-specific function shows that it is further grammaticalized than its French counterpart. This conclusion calls for a reconsideration of the widespread view of French as the language with the more grammaticalized article system.
Subject (DDC): 400 Philology, Linguistics

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KUPISCH, Tanja, Christian KOOPS, 2007. The definite article in non-specific object noun phrases : Comparing French and Italian. In: STARK, Elisabeth, ed., Elisabeth LEISS, ed., Werner ABRAHAM, ed.. Nominal Determination : Typology, context constraints, and historical emergence. Amsterdam:John Benjamins Pub., pp. 189-213. ISBN 978-90-272-9210-0. Available under: doi: 10.1075/slcs.89.11kup

@incollection{Kupisch2007defin-50717, title={The definite article in non-specific object noun phrases : Comparing French and Italian}, year={2007}, doi={10.1075/slcs.89.11kup}, isbn={978-90-272-9210-0}, address={Amsterdam}, publisher={John Benjamins Pub.}, booktitle={Nominal Determination : Typology, context constraints, and historical emergence}, pages={189--213}, editor={Stark, Elisabeth and Leiss, Elisabeth and Abraham, Werner}, author={Kupisch, Tanja and Koops, Christian} }

terms-of-use Koops, Christian eng 2020-09-08T10:59:08Z Kupisch, Tanja 2020-09-08T10:59:08Z Italian allows for the use of the definite article in non-specific direct object NPs ( <i>mettersi la giacca </i>‘put on a jacket’, <i>avere il gatto </i>‘have a cat’). However, in French, the corresponding constructions typically take only the indefinite article ( <i>se mettre un blouson, avoir un chat </i>). We present a corpus analysis and a questionnaire study which both establish a striking contrast between French and Italian on this point. We argue that the more widespread use of the Italian definite article in this non-specific function shows that it is further grammaticalized than its French counterpart. This conclusion calls for a reconsideration of the widespread view of French as the language with the more grammaticalized article system. Kupisch, Tanja 2007 The definite article in non-specific object noun phrases : Comparing French and Italian Koops, Christian

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